Cognitive behaviour therapy-trained staff’s views on professional accreditation

Many cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) trained mental health professionals seek non-mandatory accreditation with the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP), despite self-regulation of talking therapies being a divisive issue. This raises the question: what views do CBT-trained mental health professionals have towards BABCP accreditation and what motivates them to become accredited? This qualitative study recruited seven postgraduate CBT-trained mental health professionals from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde during 2015. Individual semi-structured interviews were completed and verbatim transcripts produced. Thematic analysis revealed the value participants place on accreditation, and that an absence of motivating factors and barriers during the application process means that not all CBT therapists become accredited.